ive still got 3months but im dreading it!!! im on MA so will have to go back to work for the compulsory 12weeks, then in september im supposed to be restarting my uni course.............im not sure if i want to go back just yet!!

My place hasnt been confirmed so i might not be, but its full time with placements/shift work etc, and i dont think i'll handle knowing someone else is getting all the quality time with Maria.

My OH absolutely despises his job, so when i was to start uni again, he was going to give it up and be a "house husband" as the income i get from being a student would get us by. but it seems i'll be so busy i wont have enough time with them, and there isnt a part time option for the course.

Could anyone tell me what i would be entitled to if i stayed at home until Maria was in nursery part time or in school???? OH gets about £160 a week, and at the moment we get £95 a week for child and working tax credits. He works 26hours a week so just now the working tax is paid to me, but if he reduced his hours could we get about the same paid to him iykwim?

I, like most other mummy's want to spend as much time as possible watching my baby grow and i dont think i'll be happy knowing other people are doing this when im buried in anatomy textbooks, spending much of my time in the uni library and running around wards like a skivvy!!!!!

Has anyone else decided they want to be a stay at home mum and return to work when their kids go to nursery or school? i know lots of people do it but i also feel that if i did, id be letting my OH down as he really wants me to finish uni just now, get a good job, and hopes that it will be a way of getting him out of the job he's in just now.

Sorry for rambling, im just a bit confuddled and wanting to know how others have managed to get by.

Thanks ladies. xxx

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Tue Jan 19, 2010 9:11 pm

pisceangirl76

Joined: Sat Dec 26, 2009 11:33 amPosts: 0Location: Wales

I'd feel the same, pity you couldn't put it on hold until your LO starts nursery so you can study at the same time. Are you able to postpone this?

Sorry I don't know much as I never been to uni or college went straight to work after school as I was going to join the police force so got a little office job (ended up getting pregnant on honeymoon so still stuck in that office job!)

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Tue Jan 19, 2010 9:16 pm

AlisonLeabourne

Joined: Thu Jul 17, 2008 3:53 pmPosts: 0Location: Tadley, Hampshire

I applied to go part time at my work, but they said that going part time would cost them too much money in recruiting another member of staff and that the quality of my work would suffer.

So I quit.

I'm currently on jobseekers which is £64 a week, and planning to register to become a childminder part time. I'm gonna do that until joey and all future children are in full time education and doing college courses (the council pays 80% of the fees while I'm being a childminder) to get a degree so I can become a teacher in about 10 years time and not have to worry about childcare again

My OH earns quite good money so we get about £10 a week tax credits and then £20 a week child benefit.

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Tue Jan 19, 2010 9:19 pm

MrsK1986

Joined: Mon Feb 16, 2009 10:40 pmPosts: 0

I'm going back to work in 2 weeks If I chose not to (if we could afford me not to!) I would have to re-pay almost £10k because I got full pay for the first 6 months.

If you're on MA you don't have to return to work at all. If you don't return you don't have to pay it back because its a Government benefit, you don't even have to re-pay SMP if you don't return. Its only if you get more than the statutory minimum that you would have to pay it back (depending on the company)

If you didn't return your tax credits may increase but tax credits disregard the first £100 of MA and SMP per week so they don't have much income coming in for you anyway. You may get help for rent and council tax though.

If your OH reduces his hours, as long as he's working over 16 hours you would still get working tax credits and they would possibly increase.

I've decided when we have another baby i'll try to drop my hours a few more and might get the chance to drop some more at the end of this tax year. I'm just waiting for Kris to get a decent enough payrise for me to drop a day or two.

xxx

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Tue Jan 19, 2010 9:21 pm

kazzybear84

Joined: Thu Jun 04, 2009 12:53 pmPosts: 0Location: Scotland

AlisonLeabourne wrote:

I applied to go part time at my work, but they said that going part time would cost them too much money in recruiting another member of staff and that the quality of my work would suffer.

So I quit.

I'm currently on jobseekers which is £64 a week, and planning to register to become a childminder part time. I'm gonna do that until joey and all future children are in full time education and doing college courses (the council pays 80% of the fees while I'm being a childminder) to get a degree so I can become a teacher in about 10 years time and not have to worry about childcare again

My OH earns quite good money so we get about £10 a week tax credits and then £20 a week child benefit.

If you dont mind me asking hun, how do you go about becoming a childminder????? the thought actually crossed my mind as i would still be able to take care of Maria as well wouldnt i?

xxx

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Tue Jan 19, 2010 9:22 pm

*donnalouise*

Joined: Fri Jan 30, 2009 9:06 pmPosts: 0

I am also quitting my job bo childmind (I have to go back to work for 12 weeks tho in june)

As i now have 2 children - one of which will need to get to nursery and back every day soon i just cant afford the childcare nor can expect family to run about for me.

I start my ofsted pre-registration course on thu which should be a breeze as im already a qualified nursery nurse.

I totally know where your coming from with the job tho - i went back to work 3 days after my first child and it really killed me at first being apart from her, but it does get easier. Id def ask if you could postpone the start of your course for a few years

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Tue Jan 19, 2010 9:26 pm

kazzybear84

Joined: Thu Jun 04, 2009 12:53 pmPosts: 0Location: Scotland

MrsK1986 wrote:

I'm going back to work in 2 weeks If I chose not to (if we could afford me not to!) I would have to re-pay almost £10k because I got full pay for the first 6 months.

If you're on MA you don't have to return to work at all. If you don't return you don't have to pay it back because its a Government benefit, you don't even have to re-pay SMP if you don't return. Its only if you get more than the statutory minimum that you would have to pay it back (depending on the company)

If you didn't return your tax credits may increase but tax credits disregard the first £100 of MA and SMP per week so they don't have much income coming in for you anyway. You may get help for rent and council tax though.

If your OH reduces his hours, as long as he's working over 16 hours you would still get working tax credits and they would possibly increase.

I've decided when we have another baby i'll try to drop my hours a few more and might get the chance to drop some more at the end of this tax year. I'm just waiting for Kris to get a decent enough payrise for me to drop a day or two.

xxx

Really???! i was sure i had to return for 12weeks or my pay would have to be paid back!!!

I only do about 16hours a week, i know its not a lot, but baby is tugging on my heartstrings!!!!!!! i really want to find a way round it all that will keep our income about the same but also keep OH happy. sigh.

xxx

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Tue Jan 19, 2010 9:28 pm

*donnalouise*

Joined: Fri Jan 30, 2009 9:06 pmPosts: 0

You would have to ask your local authority as i know it differs between areas - Ofsted require you to do a 'pre-regestration' course, which looks at your policies and proceedures and also the framework you have to plan to. It is usually about 10 two hour sessions plus homework.
In my local authority this course is FREE as they are in desperate need of them in my area. Then you also have to hold a paediatric first aid certificate.

Ofsted then come out to inspect the premises, and then also inspect you once you have children in your care ( then once every 3 years). There is a lot of paperwork involved and planning but ... at the end of the day you get paid and never have to leave your children which has to be a winner!!

If your seriously thinking about this i'd look into it and get yourself on a course now as the whole process takes around 4 or 5 months

Hope this helps! x

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Tue Jan 19, 2010 9:32 pm

MrsK1986

Joined: Mon Feb 16, 2009 10:40 pmPosts: 0

MA is for people who for whatever reason don't qualify for SMP or who are unemployed but have worked for long enough during the test period to qualify for it. Its the same as SMP and doesn't have to be repaid.

If you get occupational maternity pay like I did and you don't return to work you usually have to pay it back unless your employer is amazingly nice!!

I would love to do 16 hours a week and could pay the mortgage on that but I have to work the extra 18 hours to pay for the childcare! Hopefully we'll have our debt paid off (loan from nana and loan from the bank) as soon as possible then we can consider me leaving work or going down to 2-3 days

xxx

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Tue Jan 19, 2010 9:33 pm

AlisonLeabourne

Joined: Thu Jul 17, 2008 3:53 pmPosts: 0Location: Tadley, Hampshire

In my borough I had to attend 2 pre-registration talks both lasted about 2 hours.

I've had the lady from the council come and pre-check my house and give me the application forms and lots of helpful paperwork.

I've done the compulsory paediatric first aid course, which is sitting there being told and shown stuff for 12 hours (not in one go!)

And I'm finishing the Introduction to Childcare Practice (in the home based setting) college course on Saturday (it's only 2 lessons at my college) which OFSTED require you to have attended (not passed) by the time you've been registered for 6 months.

So all I have to do is fill in the forms (and for my partner and brother who live here too), send them off and get the info to do the Criminal Records Bureau checks for us all, and get the GP to fill in another form. Then OFSTED should be round in a couple of weeks to inspect me. I don't need to have any policies written up as I can't work until I'm registered but I can show that I'm thinking about them and I know what to do in the event of a fire.....